Hulu Plus Now Available on Wii U; Netflix Password Problems Fixed

Nintendo has patched the Wii U Netflix app to now accept the ‘@’ symbol for password entry. It seemed like a rather innocuous omission, but gamers who have been extra careful about security since the PSN hack were left wondering how they would enter their strength level “great” password without the use of symbols.

Thankfully, all of those Wii U Instant Watch woes can be rectified, and it didn’t take all that long for Nintendo to step in and patch things right up — that is, if you didn’t already change your password. Now gamers can reap the benefits of dual screening with the game pad whilst watching an episode of The Walking Dead.

Also on the Wii U streaming front comes the news the Hulu Plus app for the Wii U has gone live. The Wii U’s home screen has been sporting a Hulu Plus icon since launch, but it was only today that the feature went live.

Gamers who happen to be Hulu Plus members can also reap the benefits of the gamepad controller, which serves not only as a second screen — for portable use — but also as a stripped down remote control. The functionality of Hulu Plus is surprisingly solid, and might be enough to convince gamers into subscribing.

And for those who want to see what all the fuss is about, Hulu is offering a free 1-week trial of their service for Wii U owners to give it a whirl. Obviously, current Hulu Plus subscribers have already found the perfect solution for streaming, but maybe the Wii U can help sway you its way.

Hulu Plus and Netflix are nothing new to the current generation of systems, but the fact that the Wii U has adopted them out of the gate suggests they are starting to catch up with the times. It only took them several years to support HD gameplay, after all.

Have you had a chance to check out the Netflix or Hulu Plus apps on the Wii U? What do you think? How do they compare to the PS3 or Xbox 360 offerings?